His Secret Little Wife: A Novel

An Unexpected Tale of Forbidden Sex

Hannah Elizabeth Gold is not quite eleven when the world famous composer, pianist and conductor of the Philadelphia Philharmonic, then the greatest symphony orchestra in the world, Otto von Ochsenstein, moves in next door with his wife, the ballerina Charlotte Hec, and their daughter Juliet. By the time she is twelve, Hannah is having a sexual affair with The Maestro.

His Secret Little Wife is a story of seduction, of hope and triumph. Telling her story through Hannah's eyes, Fredrica Wagman employs a beautiful and unique style, making the reader privy to the thoughts and emotions of a young girl caught in the throes of a relationship beyond her comprehension as she blossoms within a world that lacks all boundaries. Already an accomplished cellist, von Ochsenstein places Hannah under his tutelage and makes her a "genius." But her girlish fantasies of a life with the great man are soon overtaken by hard reality as she grows to realize that she is not The Maestro's first secret little wife, and won't be his last.

Praise for His Secret Little Wife

"This psychological and emotional novel is haunting in its brazen treatment of taboo and beautiful in its lyrical observation of childhood."

— The Brooklyn Rail

We are used to these tales of illicit desire told froma a male viewpoint — Humbert Humbert and his obsession with Lolita. It's uncomfortable to have it switched: a young voice speaking of such intense longing... Her viewpoint is one that Western civilization doesn't like to acknowledge. Female lust, so baldly stated, has always made people — no matter their gender — squirm... [a] distinctive, compelling story.

— Philadelphia Jewish Exponent